More than 120 youngsters have put pencils and crayons to paper to create imaginative festive scenes, featuring Father Christmas, snowmen and reindeer.

Others have taken their inspiration from the region, with some designs showing the Tyne Bridge, the Sage Gateshead and the Angel of the North.

The winning entry will be featured on the front page of the Christmas Eve edition and we will also be printing a selection of our other favourites inside the paper.

The competition asked young people, aged under 18, to design a Christmas banner carrying the message “Merry Christmas to all our readers”.

We have held the competition in previous years and it’s always been popular, with some schools submitting entries from whole classes.

Here we take a look back at some of the past winners.

In 2011, Abbie Warris, then aged nine, was chosen as the overall winner for her wonderful drawing of the River Tyne, showing the bridges and The Sage Gateshead, with Santa and his reindeer flying overhead.

The pupil of Front Street Primary in Whickham, Gateshead, lives in Whickham with her sister Charlotte, 17, and her mum, Lynda Scott.

Lynda said: “Art runs in the family. Her granddad was a local artist and I went to art college. It’s a good hobby and I encourage her to draw.”

The 2010 winner was Emily Brown from Byker in Newcastle.

Then aged 11, the Heaton Manor School pupil did a cracking job with her picture, which featured a snowman, Santa hat, Christmas tree and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Jasmin Laidler, then eight, from Blyth, Northumberland, won in 2009 with her wonderful festive scene, complete with reindeer, elves, Father Christmas and a snowman.

And in 2007, Kate Murray, then 11, who attended St Joseph’s Catholic Primary, in Blaydon, Gateshead, entered the competition along with 26 of her classmates.

Kate’s bright drawing, showing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer alongside a skiing penguin and a robin, was chosen as the overall winner.

This year’s winner will be presented with a framed copy of the front page at their school in the new year.